Bush's heavy reading

Former President George W. Bush is engaged in some heavy autumn reading, according to his wife Laura. During her appearance at the National Book Festival over the weekend, the former first lady let it drop in response to a question at about the 25 minute mark in her discussion (if you're looking at the video) that her husband is absorbed in a 600-page tome, “Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy” by Eric Metaxas. The biography tells the tale of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor who, seeking "to speak for those who could not speak," played a compelling role in religious resistance to the Nazis.

Metaxas, the author of "Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery," says of himself on his website that he has had "a decidedly eclectic career" writing for VeggieTales, Chuck Colson, and the New York Times, "three things not ordinarily in the same sentence." He also quotes The Hartford Courant which said that figuring him out was “like trying to stick a pushpin in a cyclone.”

One thing that's easy to figure out: Metaxas is ecstatic that the former president is working his way through "Bonhoeffer." According to a publicist, the author learned the news a few days before Laura mentioned it. He was at a speaking engagement in Dallas when friends mentioned that they had overheard George W. at a country club praising the book. "According to them," Metaxas said, "he even praised my writing style. I think the phrase was 'That guy can really write.' That's not quite on the level of 'Heckuva job, Brownie!' But I was thrilled to hear it, of course."

I'm in the middle of reading this book on Bonhoeffer. It is one of the most thoroughly researched, beautifully written and powerfully insightful books I've ever read. It should be required reading for college students... pick a subject -- history, literature, politics, religion, philosophy, psychology, communications. Anyone who believes human nature is basically good will be sobered, even ashamed, by what mankind is capable of doing to other human beings. Metaxas is a genius with the written word. But this is not a book to read merely for pleasure. Every page will stretch your mind and prick your conscience. Caveat emptor.

President G.W.Bush will be in Mobile, AL. on October 7th, for a Leadership Banquet. Hosted by the University of Mobile, a Christian College. I live close by and wouldn't cross the street to see him. I have noticed that they are having trouble selling tickets, with good reason. A man who started an unnecessary war that ended up killing over 4400 of our best and bravest, the cost was over a trillion and then didn't even add the cost to the budget? He is despicable!

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